Comaraderie
by Tsukino Akume
Summary: Shane and Dustin keep their friendship strong in the wake of Dustin's confession. Sequel to Forced Confession.
1. Comaraderie

Sadly, this is quite short, but it damaged the writer's block, so I'm happy. This came to me after watching the Shane's Karma episodes. Dustin's comment on the battlizer mode is actually what I said when I watched the transformation. That, and I noticed the way Yellow Wind was inspecting him after the fight was over. This is actually the sequel to Forced Confessions, but takes place after Shane's Karma.  
  
Enjoy! ^_~  
  
Comaraderie  
  
"So what did you *really* think when you saw my battlizer mode?" Shane asked quietly. He laid on the soft grass not far from the portal to Ninja Ops, his head leaning close to Dustin's as they stared up at the night sky. It was one of the few times they were able to get just the two of them these days, and he enjoyed every minute of it.  
  
Dustin was quiet for a minute. "Promise you won't freak?"  
  
Shane sighed. Dustin was more insecure than most people realized; he and Tori were the only ones to know just how much his friends' opinions affected him. It was slow going to remind him that they were his friends no matter what, especially in the wake of Dustin's confession about his feelings for Shane. Shane did his best to try and keep things between them from being awkward, but the other boy's nervousness often made it hard. "You can tell me *anything* Dustin. You know that."  
  
There was a soft sigh, followed by a muttered "I thought it made your ass look really good."  
  
Shane blinked, using every ounce of willpower he had to keep from laughing. "That wasn't quite what I was expecting you to say." he admitted after a moment.  
  
"You mad?"  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Have I *ever* been mad at you? Seriously?"  
  
Dustin stopped to think about it. "Not for more than like, a few minutes."  
  
"There you go." He paused, then added with a grin, "And I'm flattered."  
  
He could almost sense Dustin's blush in the darkness. "You've got a nice ass." the Yellow Ranger mumbled. "It'd be hard *not* to notice."  
  
A grin crept across Shane's face. "I'll have to take your word for it, since you're the one who looks."  
  
"Hey!" Dustin protested, giving his friend's shoulder a light shove.  
  
"Well, you are."  
  
"Yeah." Dustin groaned suddenly, rubbing a hand over his face. "Man, those Ranger uniforms are *torture*."  
  
This time Shane did laugh. "And having four guys on your team probably doesn't help, right?"  
  
"Tell me about it." Dustin grumbled. "Not to mention *two* Cams. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he made CyberCam just to get my attention."  
  
Shane hesitated, knowing this was a sore subject. "You could tell him, you know." he said as casually as he could. "I really don't think the other guys are gonna be that broken up over it."  
  
"More like I'll be the one broken up." It was quiet, but he just managed to catch it.  
  
"Come on, bro." he protested, rolling over to look at his friend. "They're not that judgemental."  
  
"You don't know that for sure." Dustin sighed, looking miserable. "The last thing I want is to like, hurt the team because it turns out one of them is homophobic. I don't want to ruin team relations, you know?"  
  
"Tori and I don't care." he pointed out, resisting the urge to grab the other's shoulders and shake some sense into him.  
  
"We've been friends since we were kids. Tor even said she saw it coming." Dustin shrugged uncomfortably. "The other guys haven't really known me that long."  
  
He sat up a little, frowning. "She saw it coming? Why didn't she tell me?" he demanded.  
  
Dustin shrugged. "She said it was my decision to come out, and she didn't want to force me." There was a pause, then a mumbled. "And she said you were so oblivious you should have to figure it out on your own."  
  
"I am *not* oblivious!" Shane protested hotly. "Just because I didn't see you coming-"  
  
"She said something about being more to it than that, but whatever." Dustin shrugged. "Just...not yet, okay bro?" he finished pleadingly.  
  
Shane sighed, falling back against the grass again with his arms pillowed behind his head. No matter how hard he tried, Dustin had *always* been able to win him over in the end. "It's up to you, bro." he said at last. "But I still think they'll be cool. And if they're not, Tori and I'll beat some sense into 'em."  
  
Dustin laughed softly, but it was a little too forced for his liking. "Thanks, bro."  
  
He reached out to squeeze his friend's shoulder. "Anytime, man." 


	2. Caught in the Act

Disclaimer:If I owned the Power Rangers, Shane/Dustin would be a real couple. Probably Rocky/Adam, too. They aren't, so I don't. 'nuff said.  
  
And the series continues! ABCKids finally came to their senses and showed Ninja Storm reruns again instead of sports. A much needed improvement, if you ask me. This one comes after Sensei Switcheroo, which had me wondering just how stupid Dustin really is throughout the whole episode. This is the result.  
  
StarTraveler, Kitty no Chiisai, and Dagmar:*Snickers* Just read on. I'm not finished yet...  
  
Enjoy! ^_~  
  
Caught in the Act  
  
"Dustin, may I speak with you alone for a moment?"  
  
Dustin barely managed to surpress a groan. It wasn't unexpected, but that didn't mean he was looking forward to it. He caught the sympathetic glance from Tori and Blake, while Hunter and Cam seemed indifferent as Hunter moved to lean against the back of Cam's chair while he typed. Shane's gaze held some sympathy, but accusation as well. Sensei hadn't been the only one to notice.  
  
"Sure, Sensei." He forced himself to sound cheery and clueless as always, even around the huge mouthful of guinea pig pellets. He followed the tiny rodent into a side room. As soon as the door was closed, he was met with a calm stare as Sensei landed his flip to the table. "What?"  
  
"There is a garbage can for you to spit in over there." Sensei informed him, pointing.  
  
He considered continuing to pretend he liked them, but Sensei's stare was too intense. He'd know he was lying anyway. He silently went to the garbage and spat out the foul pellets. He turned back and was directed to a cup and water faucet, which he used to rinse his mouth out repeatedly. At last he sat cross-legged on the floor, watching Sensei respectfully.  
  
The rodent paced for a moment. "You insulted your own teammate in an attempt to remind Cam and myself that my time in human form was short. You purposely disobeyed Cam's order, sacrificing your own body for mind transfer. You faked ingestion of my food supply to distract the Rangers from what could have been a particularly emotional moment for Cam. Twice, for that matter. Have I forgotten anything?"  
  
He bowed his head. "No, Sensei."  
  
"I wish to thank you, Dustin."  
  
He blinked, looking up. That wasn't what he was expecting. "Huh?"  
  
"Thank you." he repeated. "Your efforts to protect Cam's need to distance himself from his emotions as well as giving he and I the time we needed to speak to one another is much appreciated."  
  
He flushed slightly and studied his toes. "I just...didn't want you and Shane to switch back without you getting a chance to say something to Cam. And then everybody was starting to crowd him, and I figured if I didn't distract the guys, Cam'd flip out over all the support. I know Cam misses you, and I felt kinda guilty that he 'n Hunter n' Blake got all jealous when my dad was at Storm Chargers. I mean, it's not like they knew I don't see him much, but I just...wanted to help, I guess...."  
  
There was a moment of another silence, and he was afraid to look back up.  
  
"And that is why you are a Ninja of the Heart, Dustin." Sensei's voice was surprisingly soft.   
  
He dared a glance, and found Sensei watching him. He had a feeling that if guinea pigs could smile, he would have. Sensei flipped down off the table, pausing to pat his hand, then walked out without another word. He scrambled to his feet and followed.  
  
Sensei retreated to his pagoda, and Tori immediately pulled Dustin aside with Shane and Blake. "Are you all right?" she asked quietly, looking concerned. "How much trouble are you in?"  
  
He dared a glance over his shoulder and found Sensei settling comfortably in his chair and switching on his newly repaired satellite connection. "I'm not, actually." he admitted. "He just wanted to talk about...stuff."  
  
Blake raised an eyebrow. "Stuff?"  
  
"Stuff." he repeated vaguely.  
  
Shane and Tori exchanged knowing looks, while Blake looked back and forth between them suspiciously. At last he raised his hands in the air and backed away. "Right. Wind Ranger thing. I can take a hint."  
  
Tori laughed and gave him a light shove, starting another bout of good-natured bickering.  
  
At last the four called their goodbyes to the three remaining and headed up the stairs. Shane dropped back beside Dustin, a slight smirk on his face. "He was talking to you about Heart Ninjas again, wasn't he?"  
  
"So what if he was?" Dustin hissed back indignantly.  
  
Shane rolled his eyes and ruffled Dustin's curls. "Bro, just because you're a rare type of ninja doesn't mean you shouldn't be proud of it."  
  
"Yeah, whatever." he muttered.  
  
Shane missed Dustin's pained expression as the hand left his head. 


	3. Uncertain

This doesn't have any particular point in time, just somwhere between Caught in the Act and Tensions. Tori's observation was something I noticed in the Motodrone episode and worked into this. Enjoy!  
  
Uncertain  
  
Tori was waiting when Shane passed through the portal to head into Ops. He flashed her a grin. "Hey, Tor. What's up?"  
  
"We need to talk." she said bluntly.  
  
His grin faded. "What's wrong?"  
  
"You have to stop protecting Dustin." she informed him.  
  
He frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about? I don't protect Dustin."  
  
She rolled her eyes with an annoyed huff. "Please. Every time we've fought for the past three weeks, the second Dustin goes down you're covering him until he gets up."  
  
"What's wrong with that? I'm just making sure he's alright."  
  
"But you're not doing it for anyone else! If you keep protecting him like that, you're going to hurt him!"  
  
He glared, offended. "I'd never hurt Dustin."  
  
"Maybe not purposely, but you're about to! You're making him want you to protect him for another reason, even though he knows that's not why you do it. It's killing him to pretend you're just his friend! Can't you see that?" she demanded angrily.  
  
"What are you talking about?" he said again, looking frustrated now.  
  
"You can't tell Dustin you don't love him back and then just pretend nothing ever happened! He can't just turn off his feelings, Shane!"  
  
"I never asked him to!"  
  
"Then stop acting like it never happened!"  
  
"I'm not!"  
  
"Yes, you are! You never even stopped to think about how you protecting him makes him feel! You never spar with him anymore, and you lean on him like he's not supposed to notice or care! You're so insensitive to his feelings!"  
  
"What do you want me to do, walk on eggshells around him?! That'd just make things worse! He'd hate it if I started treating him any differently, so I try not to!"  
  
"You could still be more considerate!"  
  
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Man, Tori, what do you want me to do?! If I act like it makes a difference he'll be hurt, and now you're saying it'll hurt him if I don't? What else *can* I do?"  
  
She subsided a little, crossing her arms and looking away. "I don't know." she muttered at last.  
  
"Well, neither do I." He glanced off to the side briefly. "Tor, I don't know anything anymore."  
  
Her gaze flickered back to him. "What does that mean?"  
  
He sighed. "It means I don't know anything." he confessed quietly. "Dustin told you I didn't love him back, right?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"I never...I never said I didn't."  
  
She stared. "You mean you do?"  
  
"I don't know!" he shouted at her. He immediately looked guilty. "Sorry. I just...I never thought about it before. I mean, I never stopped to think about *anyone* seriously, especially not Dustin. I know I love him. I just don't know if it's more than a friend. Everytime I try and think about it, something happens. Lothor attacks, we have some sort of team trauma..." He eyed her for a moment. "You wanna 'talk'..."  
  
She smiled slightly. "Okay, I can take a hint. I'll let you handle the thinking on your own, okay? And I won't say anything to Dustin until you decide." she added before he could ask.  
  
He looked considerably relieved. "Thanks, Tori."  
  
"Anytime." She eyed him now. "Just...don't think too long, okay? I don't want Dustin to be unhappy."  
  
"Neither do I." he agreed honestly.  
  
She smiled, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they headed down into Ninja Ops at last. 


	4. Tensions

This one starts after A Double-Edged Blake, if you can't tell by the opening arguement. *I* was about ready to yell at them after that one. Anyway, enjoy!  
  
Tensions  
  
"You were jealous." Blake taunted as he followed Tori into Ops.  
  
"I was *not*!" she shot back. "I was just...concerned about you is all."  
  
"So it had nothing to do with how pretty Leann is?" he asked with a grin.  
  
"You think she's pretty?" she demanded. She looked away quickly as his grin widened. "Not like I care or anything." she added hurriedly.  
  
"Sure you don't." he teased.  
  
"For crying out loud! Would you two stop tiptoing around it and just admit you like each other before you drive us all crazy?!" Dustin exploded. He stormed up the stairs without another word.  
  
The other Rangers stared after him in shock.  
  
Tori's eyes darkened after a moment, and she turned to glare at Shane. "I told you you'd hurt him! You're taking too long!"  
  
"What, like you're any help?" he snapped. "You and Blake are practically all over each other one moment, and on different planets the next! Make up your minds already!"  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?!"  
  
They had drawn together as they argued, and were almost in each other's faces now. "You complained about me being insensitive when you're the one who's so wishy-washy about your own relationship! And you have the nerve to flaunt it in front of everyone!"  
  
"I'm not flaunting anything!"  
  
"Oh, no? 'I'm not jealous!' 'Not like I care or anything.'" he mimicked, gesturing girlishly and batting his eyelashes. "All you two ever do is flirt! At least I take his feelings seriously!"  
  
She glowered, folding her arms. "Which is about the *only* thing you ever take seriously."  
  
His glare turned icy. "Forget this. I'm outta here." He spun around and went up the stairs.  
  
"Whatever." Tori muttered, tossing up a hand. She scowled as she noticed Hunter, Blake, and Cam staring at her. "What are you looking at?"  
  
"Nothing." Blake said quickly.  
  
"Whatever." she said again, flipping her hair. "Sorry Sensei, but I don't think this is such a good day for training." She headed out, leaving the three Rangers in shock.  
  
"Did the Wind Rangers just get into a fight?" Hunter asked after a moment of stunned silence.  
  
"I didn't think they *ever* fought." Blake murmured in agreement.  
  
"As the Heart of the Rangers suffers, so do his teammates." Sensei informed them. He flipped off his table, dismissing them silently as he headed into the kitchen.  
  
"'Heart of the Rangers'? Hunter repeated skeptically.  
  
Cam glanced up, seeming mildly surprised. "Didn't you know?"  
  
Hunter rolled his eyes. "If I knew, I wouldn't be asking." he pointed out.  
  
Cam turned back to the computer. "Wind Ninjas don't chose their colors; their colors choose them. Each color represents an element and type of ninja. Red is Air, Blue is Water, and Yellow is Earth. Air Ninjas are body types, Water Ninjas are mind, Earth is heart. Body types are leaders and fighters, usually at the front of any attack. Mind is the team's focus, keeping them on their task and often the one to come up with the plan. Heart ninjas are the spirit. They're rare these days, and there aren't many males. They keep their teammates from losing faith. Often in Dustin's case, by acting like a moron."  
  
The Thunder Rangers digested this for a moment. "So you're saying whenever Dustin's unhappy, Shane and Tori fight?" Blake asked at last.  
  
"Not exactly. Usually they just seem down." He frowned slightly. "This time whatever's going on is putting them at odds with each other. That's not normal behavior, by their standards."  
  
Hunter raised an eyebrow, unable to resist. "They have standards?"  
  
"I couldn't very well compare them to anyone else, now could I?" he retorted.  
  
"Still, it's just...weird...seeing them like this." Blake admitted. "I kinda miss the old goofy Wind Ninjas."  
  
"Me, too." Hunter admitted after a moment.  
  
There was several minutes of silence, then a barely audible "Me, three." 


	5. Last to Know

I finally found an episode summary site the other day, and realized that this story is out of context. It should actually be in the order of Forced Confessions, Caught in the Act, Uncertain, Comaraderie, and Tensions. I was *trying* to write this according to cannon, but since it ABCKids played the reruns out of sequence things have been switched around a bit. My appologies for not realizing this sooner.  
  
This chapter takes place after Scent of a Ranger, which I finally watched today. *Beams* I must admit, I also adored A Samurai's Journey, which made it's way into here through a few comments. I agree with Starhawk; there is no way Cam could have made it through all that without breaking his glasses. They must be bulletproof glass and titanium frames or something. Anyway, I found it quite amusing how Shane reacted towards Cam and CyberCam when Tori and Dustin disappeared. So, we have this.  
  
Enjoy! ^_^  
  
Last to Know  
  
Shane sat on the couch at Storm Chargers, seeming to stare off vacantly into space. In actuality, he was watching Dustin work. The Yellow Ranger was giving a friendly smile to a customer as he wheeled in the bike he'd repaired. He blushed when they complimented him, scratching the back of his head as he laughed it off.  
  
A hand waved in front of his face. "Shane? Earth to Shane."  
  
He blinked, looking up at Kelly. "Huh? Did you need something?"  
  
She studied him for a moment. "I need you to stop pinning over Dustin and tell him how you feel." she said at last, keeping her voice quiet so that no one else would hear.  
  
He stiffened. "What did you say?"  
  
She sighed and leaned in closer. "Shane, I've known you boys a long time, since before Dustin was old enough to work for me. I've never seen anyone as close as you two and Tori. The friendship between you is special. But I'm not blind."  
  
His heart began to pound as his mind raced, wondering how she could possibly have figured out-  
  
"You're always so protective of Dustin. It's obvious how you feel."  
  
He blinked again, his train of thought abruptly thrown off track. "How I feel?" he repeated, brow furrowing.  
  
She shook her head and sighed again. "You're in love with Dustin, Shane."  
  
He stared at her. He'd been trying to figure out his feelings for weeks, and here she just walked up and told him she'd known all along? Dustin's words about Tori saying he was so oblivious he should have to figure it out on his own came to mind, and he wondered abruptly if Tori thought the same thing. And if they claimed they knew, why hadn't they just told him already? It would have saved him a lot of soul-searching.  
  
Kelly smiled a little at his expression. "I'm sure Dustin loves you, too. You'll both be a lot happier if you just admit it to yourself and talk to him about it. As corny as it sounds, just follow your heart. Everything else will work out." She patted him on the shoulder and went to help a customer.  
  
Shane stayed where he was. A smile quirked his lips after a moment. "Follow my heart, huh?" he mumbled to himself. "Wonder if Kelly ever took Ninja Philosophy."  
  
At last he got up, calling to Dustin that he'd catch him later. He headed outside, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he walked. He hadn't gotten far when someone caught up to walk beside him. "You okay, man?" Hunter asked after a moment, sounding hesitant.  
  
Shane's shoulders started to shake. He looked up suddenly, eyes sparkling as he chuckled. "I just found out that I'm an idiot." he told him with a grin.  
  
Hunter raised an eyebrow. "You feeling all right?"  
  
He shook his head, still chuckling. "It's just funny. I've spent weeks thinking, and it turns out everyone else knew all along." His smile widened a little as he added "And here I though I'd made a lot of progress with this whole Fragra thing."  
  
Hunter was definately looking at him funny now. "What are you talking about?"  
  
The smile faded a bit as Dustin's fears occured to him. "Hey Hunter, you mind if I ask you a personal question?"  
  
"Depends on what it is." the other told him warily.  
  
Shane made himself look directly at Hunter. No matter what he said or did, his real reaction would be in his face and eyes, and Shane needed to see it. "How do you feel about gays?"  
  
Hunter's suspicious confusion was replaced with a brief flash of horror and shock, then quickly smoothed over into a blank expression. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Are you prejudiced?" Shane persisted.  
  
"I don't see why it matters, but no." Hunter answered rather snappishly.  
  
Sudden clarity settled over Shane, and he stared. "You too?" he blurted out before he stopped to think.  
  
Hunter's eyes narrowed furiously. "What makes you think I-" He paused in mid-sentence, looking wary. "Too?"  
  
"Man, I'm glad to hear that." he breathed. "That's a load off."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Hunter hissed.  
  
"I'm in love with Dustin." he told him quietly.  
  
And as cheezy as it seemed, the old clichés were right. He really *did* feel like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. A peaceful smile settled over his face. It felt really good to say it at last, and now that he had, he could feel how true it was. He really did love Dustin, as more than friends, more than a brother. He was...well, Dustin. And that meant a lot.  
  
Hunter was staring at him. "You're in love with Dustin." he repeated slowly.  
  
Shane nodded, trying not to grin. "I realized it when he and Tori were caught today. I was worried about Tori too, I mean, she's my best friend. But it was different with Dustin. When I thought about him..." His smile was gone suddenly as his gaze dropped, fists clenching. "I really wanted to hurt Cam. CyberCam. Whatever. I wanted to see him in pain for letting it happen."  
  
Hunter remained silent for a moment. "When the Green Samurai Ranger showed up." he mumbled at last.  
  
Shane glanced over at him. "Huh?"  
  
"Cam's first battle, when he started turning into a bug?" He looked away, suddenly uncomfortable. "I asked him out after we won."  
  
"You and Cam?" Shane looked startled, then faded into thoughtfulness. "I can see it."  
  
"Funny. I could say the same about you and Dustin." Hunter retorted.  
  
Shane burst out laughing suddenly.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
He turned to his friend, eyes twinkling. "This means your brother is the only straight guy out of all the Rangers."  
  
Hunter made a face. "Don't go spreading that around. Blake'd like it too much."  
  
"Does he know?"  
  
Hunter nodded. "I told him when I started getting interested. We don't keep secrets from each other."  
  
Shane looked worried suddenly. "Look, Dustin doesn't know yet and-"  
  
Hunter held up a hand. "Enough said. I won't say anything until you're ready."  
  
Shane smiled, relieved. "Thanks, man."  
  
Hunter gave a slight smile back. "No worries. Just don't take *too* long 'fessing up. It's not my fault if Blake notices. After all, you're not exactly subtle."  
  
Shane punched his shoulder in mock indignation. "You wanna talk about subtle? How about how long it took you and Cam to get out of Motodrone's hideout and join the rest of us to fight?"  
  
"Like you even noticed!"  
  
They continued to bicker back and forth as they walked, laughing and playfully sparring. What they never saw was the person outside Storm Chargers, watching them leave with a heartbroken look on his face. 


	6. Love Hurts

This wasn't how I pictured things ending up, but I'm oddly proud of the result. Something about it makes me smile. Meet the end product of watching All About Beevil. Dustin was so adorable when he looked hurt. He practically screamed 'give me a hug'. This is a roundabout way of Dustin getting his hug.  
  
Enjoy! ^_^V  
  
Love Hurts  
  
Shane was lurking. He knew he was lurking, but he didn't care. Dustin had been avoiding him for days, and then there was this whole 'Marrah' thing. He clenched a fist. They *would* talk, even if he had to wait outside Storm Chargers until Dustin finally got off his shift.  
  
In the end, that was what happened. He was tired, but he refused to fall asleep or leave his post. The moment Dustin emerged, he stepped out of the shadows. "Dustin."  
  
The Yellow Ranger snapped into a defensive stance, then sighed as he caught sight of him. "Man, don't do that! I almost had a heart attack!"  
  
"We need to talk." Shane informed him.  
  
Dustin winced, making a face. "Can't it wait? I'm wiped."  
  
Shane took a moment to study his face and was surprised to realize he did have shadows under his eyes. He sighed as the need to take advantage of the opportunity won out, insisting "It's important."  
  
Dustin sighed, too. "Sure. What's up?"  
  
"Come on." He jerked his head for Dustin to follow, and started to walk toward the other's house. Dustin fell in place beside him, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Shane shot him a concerned glance. "You okay?"  
  
"Just tired. It's been a weird day."  
  
He frowned. "Did you really like Marrah?"  
  
Dustin shot him an irritated glare. "Dude, I told you I'm gay. Why do you think I liked her just 'cause I wanted to help her out?"  
  
Shane shifted, suddenly uncomfortable. "I was jealous." he mumbled.  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"I was jealous." he repeated louder.   
  
"Jealous." Dustin sounded incredulous.  
  
"I've been trying to talk to you for awhile now." Shane said, abruptly changing the subject. "Why are you avoiding me?"  
  
Now it was Dustin's turn to look away. "I just...wanted some space."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You could have told me!" he burst out suddenly.  
  
"I've been trying to!" Shane retorted, then paused with a frown. "Wait, how'd you know?"  
  
"I saw you!" He ducked his head, closing his eyes tightly. "Look, I can deal if you and Hunter are together. I just wish you'd said something."  
  
Shane had stopped walking the moment 'Hunter' had been said. "Me and Hunter?" he demanded incredulously.  
  
Dustin grit his teeth. "I *saw* you." he repeated. "Like I said, I can deal with it. Just...let me have some space for awhile, okay?"  
  
Shane was twitching now. "Me and Hunter." he said again.  
  
"Yes, all right! I get it! Stop rubbing it in!" Dustin shouted back at him. His fists clenched and he looked away quickly.  
  
Shane took a deep breath to try and calm himself. He silently asked Hunter for forgiveness. "Hunter's dating Cam."  
  
It was another minute before Dustin turned, blinking. "He's dating...Cam?"  
  
Shane nodded. "Since Cam became the Green Ranger."  
  
Dustin closed his eyes again. "So he's not homophobic."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"That's about what I said."  
  
Dustin frowned a little, opening his eyes. He almost jumped when he realize Shane was standing directly in front of him. "Um, Dude? What are you-"  
  
Shane leaned down and kissed him.  
  
Two seconds later he stumbled back, one hand to his gut and the other covering his nose. "What was that for?" he demanded angrily.   
  
Dustin was shaking. "Don't." he growled. "Don't *ever* do that again."  
  
Disappointment and hurt flashed over Shane's face. "Why?"  
  
"Because you don't love me that way!" Dustin was closer to tears now than Shane had ever seen him; his eyes were nearly black and sparkling with moisture, pain etched across his face.  
  
"I never said that!" Shane yelled back. "I was trying to tell you that I didn't know how I felt about you!"  
  
"Oh, so now you suddenly do?!"  
  
"It's not sudden! I've been thinking about it since you told me! I didn't want to say anything before I knew for sure because I didn't want to hurt you!"  
  
"Well, it's a little late for that!"  
  
Shane's fist clenched. "For crying out loud! I just wanted to tell you I love you! You weren't supposed to hit me for it!"  
  
Dustin shook his head, a choked noise escaping his throat. "Stop it! Stop lying!"  
  
"I'm not lying!" Shane snarled. "I *love* you!"  
  
"Knock it *off*!"  
  
He tackled Shane without warning, sending them both rolling across the ground. They struggled against one another, pushing, shoving, blocking punches that weren't nearly as hard as they could have been. Eventually Shane ended up straddling Dustin's waist, glaring down as he finally pinned the other boy. Dustin glared back, fighting to get free.  
  
"Get it through your thick head." Shane growled. "I. Love. You."  
  
"Liar!" Dustin shouted back.  
  
Shane's glare turned icy. He leaned down, kissing Dustin hard. The other began to struggle again, but he held him still. He broke away after a minute, still glaring. "Are you listening to me yet?"  
  
"Liar!" was the hissed response.  
  
Shane kissed him again. "Now?" he whispered when he pulled away again.  
  
"Liar."  
  
Another kiss. "Now?"  
  
"Liar."  
  
It was hard to say how long this went on, but eventually Shane was forced to acknowledge the fact that Dustin's lips were swollen and bruised, and he'd stopped asking when he believed him some time ago. The defiant 'Liar' had died down to a murmur, long since faded away. He sat still, trying to breathe as he stared down at Dustin. The other boy was just as breathless, and something about his tossled curls, hazy brown eyes, and heaving chest was suddenly enticing.   
  
He leaned down again, this time for a light, gentle kiss. Dustin responded just as gently, leaving them both with a tingling sensation over the sudden sweetness of the moment. Shane chuckled when he sat up again, rolling over to lay beside him. "Only us." he sighed.  
  
Dustin smiled a little. "Only us." he agreed softly. He shifted to watch Shane, his eyes suddenly nervous. "You mean it?"  
  
Shane paused before responding to take in how fragile Dustin seemed in that instant. It didn't happen often, but there were times when he had that look. It always made him want to protect the other, keep him safe from anyone who would hurt him. "Yeah." he said at last. He reached out a hand, tucking a curl out of Dustin's eyes. His mouth quirked when it fell back in the way.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Now you're just trying to make me mad."  
  
Dustin smiled again. "You're kinda cute when you're angry." he admitted.  
  
"You're always kinda cute." Shane teased, and was rewarded with a blush. He reached out and pulled Dustin closer, wrapping an arm around him with a sigh. The oddity of his behavior occured to him, but he decided he liked the end result too much to care. "I think I could get used to this."  
  
"Me, too." Dustin murmured, laying his head on Shane's shoulder.  
  
A thought occured to Shane suddenly, and he glanced over at Dustin, only to wince at the rumpled hair and clothing, bruised lips and face, and various slight scratches from the cement. "Your mom's gonna kill me when she sees you." 


End file.
